Fire Safety Manager - Reading, Berkshire
3 days ago
Reading
Contract: PermanentSalary: Competitive salary offering up to £72,000 per annum, depending on experienceAs Fire Safety Manager, you will lead, develop, and embed a robust fire safety framework within Thames Water’s water and wastewater operations. Use Fire Safety expertise, rooted in HOP (Human & Organisational Performance) principles, to reduce fire risk, strengthen resilience, and support continuous learning and operational safety. What you’ll be doing as a Fire Safety Manager • Develop and deliver a fire safety strategy aligned with Thames Water’s “Zero harm” vision and broader HSW Strategy., • Ensure compliance with statutory fire safety legislation. (Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, BS standards, local authority requirements), • Maintain and enhance fire risk registers across operational sites, integrating into the Asset Lifecycle Management System., • Design and implement a comprehensive Fire Safety Management System: policy, standards, procedures, assurance tools, and KPIs., • Lead periodic and risk-based audits & site inspections to assess and validate fire safety controls., • Champion Incident Investigation driven by HOP: focus on systemic contributors, normal work systems, recurring challenges, and learnings—not just blame., • Apply HOP mindset to fire incidents—describe normal variations, explore why processes usually succeed, and identify organisational factors that contribute to incidents., • Drive Safety II thinking: shift from "what went wrong?" to "what goes right?" in fire safety performance. Embed principles of Learning from Work-as-Done , Error Wisdom , and Local Rationality., • Facilitate robust post-incident / near-miss reviews using HOP language: “Who made sense of the work?”, “How did the system influence decisions?”., • Build strong collaborative relationships with operational leaders, contractors, site HSW teams, and regulators. Communicate fire risk and assurance outcomes clearly., • Support cross-functional teams (e.g., engineering, maintenance, design) to integrate fire safety early in capital and operational planning., • Develop fire safety awareness, competence and training programs. (e.g. fire marshal training, evacuation drills), • Promote a Just Culture—one where issues are openly discussed and reported without fear, and workers are trusted to contribute to safety decisions., • Establish fire safety KRIs/KPIs and dashboards to track performance and gaps., • Monitor industry trends, learn from incidents across utilities/infrastructure, and update Thames Water standards accordingly., • NEBOSH Fire Certificate or Diploma. (or equivalent fire-specific qualification), • Proven Fire Risk Assessment and Safety Management experience in complex, multi-site environments., • Strong operational understanding of utilities, water or similar critical infrastructure., • HOP-certified practitioner or demonstrable knowledge of HOP principles and application in safety investigations., • Bachelor’s degree in Fire Science, Fire Engineering, Occupational Safety, Fire Protection, or equivalent., • NEBOSH Fire Certificate or Diploma, or equivalent fire safety-specific qualification., • Professional certification. (e.g. CFPS, NFPA Fire Inspector, IFE Graduate/Member grade), • In-depth knowledge of UK fire regulations: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, BS standards, Local Authority requirements., • Competent with fire risk management systems, compliance dashboards, and inspection/audit reporting tools., • Proficiency in planning evacuation strategies, conducting drills, and delivering fire safety training., • Competitive salary offering up to £72,000 per annum, depending on experience., • Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus